Electric regulator for pendulum-clocks



(No Model.)

S. EASTMAN.

ELECTRIC REGULATOR FOR PENDULUM CLOCKS.

No. 837,385. Patented Mar. 9, 1886.v

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UNITED STATES PATENT Oral-ca.

SYLVESTER EASTMAN, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE SYNOHRONOUS TIME COMPANY OF PORTLAND, MAIN E.

ELECTRIC REGULATOR FOR PENDULUllil-CLOCKs.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 337,385, dated 9, 1886.

Application filed June I, 1885. Serial No. 167,196. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SYLvnsTnn EASTMAN, ofProvidence, county of Providence,and State of Rhode Island, have invented an Improvement in Regulators for Clocks, twhich the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters on the drawings representing like parts.

This invention has for its object to provide a pendulum-rod of a clock, or other apparatus employing a pendulum-rod, with asupplemental weight comprising a frame movable with relation to the said rod and supportingmagnets, a pivoted armature, and a regulating device cooperating therewith, whereby when the magnets are energized the said supplemental weight will be raised or lowered to accelerate or retard the oscillations of the pendulum-rod.

The invention consists in the combination, with a pendulum-rod provided with the usual weightor bob, ofa supplemental weight mounted loosely upon said pendulum-rod, the sup 2' plemental weight comprising a frame and two magnets supported thereby, an armature pivoted thereon, and regulating device co-operating therewith, whereby when the magnets are energized the armature actuates the regu- 0 lating device, effecting the movement of the entire supplemental weight, raising or lowering it upon the pendulum-rod as occasion may require.

The regulating device in this instance con- 5 sists of an upright mounted upon the armature, and having two spring-controlled pawls, which engage with and turn a gear-wheel on a screw-threaded tube fixed to the pendulumrod, said gear-wheel being in engagement with the frame, and by its rotation raising and lowering the latter, together with the magnets supported by it. The magnets are connected in circuit with a battery, and are energized to attract the pivoted armature by a suitable 5 circuit-changing device arranged in the same circuit.

Figure 1 shows in top view a supplemental weight and its regulating devices applied to a portion of a pendulum-rod, the usual weight or bob being omitted; Fig. 2, a longitudinal seotion taken on the dotted linewaz, Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a detail showing the spring-controlled pawls in engagement with the gear-wheel; Fig. 4, a diagram of the magnets and their circuits, and Fig. 5 a detail to be referred to.

The pendulum-rod A, of usual construction, may be supplied with any suitable weight or bob at its lower end. A tube, a, of suitable length, surrounds the pendulum-rod A at a point above the usual weight or bob, and is securely fixed thereto by screws 2 or other suitable fastenings. The tube a is screw-threaded at a for a portion of its length, and is also slotted at opposite sides in the direction of its length, as at a, forming guideways for a frame composed, essentially, of two bars, I) b, fitted to slide in the said guideways a, portions of the bars being turned outward at their lower ends and supporting cross-pieces b b, which in turn support cross-pieces b" 0, connecting the free ends of the cross pieces I) b, the cross-pieces b" I) supporting two magnets, in m. Also, pivoted to the bars I) I) at opposite sides of the pend ulum-rod,is a compound armature, c, which is attracted by the magnets m in when the latter are energized, projections ldintegral with the armature c and extending from the interior thereof between each other and entering holes in the bars 6 b, as shown in dotted line, Fig. 1, and section, Fig. 2, serving as pivots. This pivoted armature c cooperates with a regulating device, by which movement is imparted to the frame and its connecied parts, which collectively form a supplemental weight,the movement of which upon the pendulum-rod accelerates or retards the oscillation of the latter.

The regulating device in this instance is constructed as follows: The compound pivoted armature 0 (best shown in Fig. 1, and of suitable shape to co-operate with the magnets m m) is provided at one side with an upright, 0, (see Fig. 2,) rigidly connected therewith, and said upright has mounted loosely at its upper end two pawls, 0 0 extending in opposite directions. The pawls o are pressed forward by a weak spring-c mounted upon the upright c, to engage with the gear-wheel d,

having a screw-threadedhub and turning upon the screw-threaded tube a, and the said pawls are normally held disengaged from the geararound its pin 10, against which it bears, and

engages the gear-wheel to retain the latter.

The bars b b pass upward in the guidewa iand' uitable guideways, a, formed ther i t a through the gear-wheel, and are provided each with projections 3 4, which bear againstthe opposite faces of the said gear-wheel at, so

that as the gear-wheel is rotated upon the screw-threaded tube a. it raises and lowers the bars and the parts supported thereby.

The armature o is turned on its pivot by the attraction of one of the magnets on or m, and is restored to its normal condition by a strong flat spring, 5, attached to a projection, 6, ex-

spring acting against the compound armature c at opposite sides of its pivotal connection;

' (See Fig. 5.) The spring 5, controlling the armature c, is sufficiently strong to overcome. the action of the weak spring 0, so that as it returns the armature a to its normal position its connected partsviz., the upright c and attached pawls care also restored to their normal position, the pawls 0 moving backward around the pins 10, hearing against the latter, and compressing the weak spring 5. The magnets m m are in circuit with a battery, B, (see Fig. 4,) and are energized to attract the pivoted armature c by a circuitchanging device consisting in this instance of ordinary press-buttons, 8 8, adapted to close the circuit, which is preferably normally open.

The operation of the apparatusis as follows: When the oscillations of the pendulum-rod are to be accelerated or retarded, one of the circuit-closers 8 is operated, which energizes its corresponding magnet, m or m, attracting the pivoted armature a, moving the uprights c, with its connected pawls,inthearc oi'a circleuntil one of the pawls, passing over its pin 10 and compressed by the spring 0 engages the gearwheel (1, and rotates the same upon the screwthreaded tube a a distance corresponding to one tooth ofthe gear-wheel,when the circuitcloser is released by the operator.

oted armature c, with its connected upright c, is then restored to its normal condition by the spring 5, which is sufficiently strong to over- The pivcome the action of the spring 0}, thus permitting the pawls c to become disengaged from the gear-wheel and restored to their normal position, guided by the pins 10, which bear against their inner grooved faces. As the gearwheel d is thus rotated,it raises or lowers the bars,with their supporting-magnets, to ac'celerate or retard the oscillation of the pendulum-rod. The slots at are of sufii'cicnt length .to permit the adequate movement desired.

It is obvious that the screw-threaded tube a may be dispensed with, the screw-thread being formed directly upon the pendulum-rod,

permit the bars I) to slide freely.

I claim-- 1. A pendulum-rod and a movable frame thereon, and magnets and a pivoted armature" mounted on the said frame, and means controlled by the said armature to eflect the sliding of the said frame upon the pendulum-rod, combined with an electric circuit containing circuit-changing devices, whereby the armature is positively moved, substantially as described.

a tube thereon, combined with amovable weight consisting of a frame, the magnets and pivoted armature,and regulating device supported by the frame, substantially as described. 3. The .threaded pendulum rod having guideways, combined with a supplemental weight moving vertically therein and comprising a frame, magnets, a pivoted armature, and a regulating device, substantially as described.

4. The pendulum-rod and screw-threaded tube thereon, having guideways, and frame moving on the said rod, combined with two oted armature and'gear-wheel d, and means to .rotate the latter, substantially as described.

5. The pendulum-rod and screw-th readed tube thereon having guideways, the frame movmagnets supported by the said frame, the pivable thereon, and magnets, combined with a pivoted armature co-operating with the said magnets, spring-controlled pawls connected with and operated by the said armature, and

a gear-wheel rotated upon the screw-threaded f tube by the engagement of the pawls, substansubscribing witnesses.

SYLVESTER EASTMAN.

Witnesses:

BERNIOE J. NoYEs, W. H. SIGSTON. 

